Nutritional Deficiencies Every Woman Needs to Know
By Sara Butler
When you hit the big 4-0, there's probably a lot on your mind. One of the things that should be at the top of your list for this new life stage? Nutrition. Or more specifically, nutritional deficiencies. Your body is going through changes and that means the foods you eat need to change to meet these new needs or you could end up with a nutritional deficiency. Here are the most common nutritional deficiencies faced by women over 40 and what you can do about it.
Calcium
Once you hit 40 you need to take a serious look at how much calcium you get. That's because every year after age 35, bones begin to weaken and bone loss can occur. You can slow down this process by ensuring you get enough calcium through eating things such as salmon, sardines, leafy greens, yogurt, milk, and cheese.
Aim for somewhere between 1,000 and 2,500 IUs (International Units) of calcium per day, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D and calcium go hand-in-hand. That's because eating Vitamin D along with calcium helps your body to better absorb the calcium you need for your bones to be strong and your immune system to work as it should.
So, don't be shy to add some tuna, eggs, fortified milk, sardines, salmon, and cheese to your diet to get the 600 IUs of Vitamin D you need per day. You can also create your own Vitamin D by hanging out in the sun for a few minutes.
Vitamin K
If you're sensing a theme here, good for you! Bone loss is a big issue for women over 40 and you can try to thwart it by making sure you get enough of the essential nutrients your body needs to maintain strong bones. Vitamin K works with calcium and Vitamin D to help keep your bones strong. You need about 90 micrograms per day, which you can get through eating pomegranates, soybeans, and leafy green vegetables.
Folate
When you were in your prime baby-making years, folate was all the rage. Well, it's still the rage even if your baby days are a thing of the past. Folate from natural sources such as Brussels sprouts, spinach, black-eyed peas, and asparagus helps to protect your brain as you get older. Aim for 400 micrograms of folate per day to keep you healthy.
As you get older your body changes, which means how you care for it needs to change too.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Sandy Springs, Ga.